Apple hasn’t updated the iPhone SE this year, but last year’s model proved to be quite successful. The iPhone SE is an excellent proposition for buyers. We’re looking at a traditional iPhone design, performance on par with the iPhone 11, and a $399 starting price. A series of reports in the past few months said the iPhone SE will get a significant upgrade in early 2022. The device will feature 5G connectivity and a faster processor. But a new iPhone SE 3 report indicates the next-gen entry-level iPhone will be even more impressive than we thought. The handset might be just as fast as the iPhone 13 series that will launch later this year.
Earlier this week, a report said the iPhone SE 3 would get the A14 Bionic chip and 5G support. The CPU upgrade would put the 2022 iPhone SE model on par with the iPhone 12. But Nikkei Asia has learned that the next-gen iPhone SE will feature Apple’s newest A-series chip that’s set to debut on the iPhone 13.
iPhone SE 2022 specs
Reports say the A15 Bionic will power the iPhone 13 series this year. The upcoming iPad mini 6 will also run on the same next-gen 5nm chip. According to Nikkei, Apple will use the new processor in the iPhone SE 2022, too:
The budget 5G iPhone is set to hit the market as early as the first half of 2022, sources briefed on the matter said. It will be powered by Apple’s own A15 processor — the same chip that will go into this year’s premium iPhones — and its 5G connectivity will be enabled by Qualcomm’s X60 modem chip, they added.
The 2020 iPhone SE has no rival when it comes to Android. The only thing holding it back from destroying mid-range Android phones is the design. The iPhone SE rocks a 4.7-inch screen with large bezels at the top and bottom. The home button is still present, complete with Touch ID support.
Nikkei says the iPhone SE 2021 will “look like a refreshed version of the iPhone 8.” That makes it sound just like the current model.
No iPhone 14 mini next year
While the iPhone SE has been a hit with buyers, the iPhone 12 mini that launched last fall failed to impress. An iPhone 13 mini version (seen in the top render) will launch this year, but Apple will reportedly kill the mini line after that. There won’t be a mini version when the iPhone 14 rolls out in the second half of 2022. Nikkei says the same thing in its new report on Wednesday.
Instead of the iPhone 14 mini, Apple should launch a cheaper version of the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max next year. Design and specs for the four iPhone 14 models aren’t final, sources told Nikkei. Including the iPhone SE 2022, Apple’s entire new iPhone lineup will support 5G. That assumes this information is accurate.
The report also notes that Apple will launch several new products in the second half of 2021. Joining the iPhone 13 series are new AirPods and MacBook Pro laptops. iPhone 13 production will apparently start next month, with Apple aiming to manufacture some 95 million iPhone 13 series phones by January. The next-gen AirPods will also enter production in August, according to this report.
